Vukovic’s increased confidence is also easy to spot.

The 24-year-old explains that last season he didn’t believe in himself to keep clean sheets. This season, though, when he steps out on the park every week, he believes he can remain a rock at the back.

“Personally, I think I’m doing very well this year,” Vukovic said.

“At the back end of last season, that was probably my worst form in the five years I’ve been playing at this club. My form is good this year and the defenders in front of me have been playing well, so it’s a group thing.

“We’re confident in every game that we can go out and keep a clean sheet, it’s something that we didn’t have at the back end of last season.”

Amazingly, Newcastle was the first team to breach the Central Coast’s defensive resolve more than once in a single match this season.

Michael Bridges and Labinot Haliti providing a double blow in the opening 14 minutes, something the yellow and navy fell just short of recovering from.

“It was a bit disappointing the way we started the match. Itwas the first 20 minutes where we lost the game," Vukovich said.

“We played well for the next 70 minutes of the game though, and hopefully we can take that good form into the next game against Adelaide."

Canberra Stadium will, for the second time this season, provide the backdrop for a Mariners’ Hyundai A-League fixture, and the Central Coast shot stopper hopes Saturday’s return to the nation’s capital can provide a springboard to the club’s title hopes.

“We’re confident we can go all the way to the finals and hopefully win this year," he said.

“We enjoy going to Canberra, we’ve been going there for the last five years. We haven’t lost there."

* Glen Lauder is media and communications manager for the Central Coast Mariners.